Volume 7 Issue 1

4 February 2008

Originally published in icon Volume 7 Issue 1

AN IMPORTANT NOTICE TO OUR READERS: As you can imagine, we receive a large number of press releases about new drugs. Invariably these state that drug X ‘increases survival’. We are concerned that this phrase misleads and creates an over-expectation in many of our readers, being viewed as implying somehow a ‘cure’ or a success in surviving at least five years when neither is, in fact, true. Our policy from now on is to refer to ‘an increase in life expectancy’ and, where provided, to state the actual increases from the research. We believe this is in the best interests of our readers who are almost always patients. It reduces the often-criticised elements of euphoria and over-claim whilst reporting accurately on new and improved developments.

CHEMICAL WORLD

Latest World Cancer News

Gordon Brown now leads the fight on cancer.

The Government has just announced a new plan against cancer called “The NHS Cancer Reform trategy”. Gordon Brown said it was a ‘road map to a higher standard of care for all’. TheConservatives said that it just showed that the previous ‘National Cancer Plan’ had failed.The plans, unveiled by Health Secretary Alan Johnson, will be underpinned by a £370m investment by 2010. Apparently,there will be a greater emphasis on preventing cancer, and providing more support with people living with the long-term effects of the disease, according to Johnson.

One plank is a continued attack on smoking believed by the Government to be linked to one in three cancers.They plan to test public opinion on whether to ban cigarette vending machines, and reduce cigarette displays in shops.

Specifics in the plan however do not mention Prevention per se, but only screening. Core developments are:

£200m investment to boost radiotherapy capacity over the next three years, with cash for newequipment and staff.

Where possible, cancer drugs will be assessed by the National Institute for Health and linical Excellence (NICE) at the same time as they go through the licensing process to make them available to patients more quickly.

Measures to improve detection of cancer in primary care.

Extension of the NHS breast screening programme to all women aged 47 to 73 by 2012.

Extension of the NHS bowel screening programme from 2010 to all men and women aged 70 to 75.

(Ed: This represents £100 for each person with cancer in the UK, given that 320,000 people were diagnosed last year, including those with skin cancer. 5year survival is not approaching 50 per cent’ as they claim, but about 44 per “Our aim is to bring you the latestinformation that can help you beat cancer” CANCER WATCH statistics; cliche’s of ‘Road Maps’. Ugh! You deserve better than this.)

Marriage brings a longer life and better health

The Office for National Statistics has published the definitive proof: Married couples live longer and have better health than single folks. They can also rely on more home care in their twilight years.

And children who live with their married parents are healthier and, whatever their economic predicament, they are in full-time education longer. The results showed these benefits over single people and non-married couples. Single mothers and widowed men have the worst health, suffering more acute and chronic ailments. This health data even extends to mortality rates. Widowed and divorced men over 80 have a mortality rate one third higher than married men.

Breast Cancer - screening system to replace mammograms?

According to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, ‘Screening for breast ancer with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is significantly more effective at identifying suspicious breast lesions than other existing screening methods such as mammography and ultrasound. Thelimitation is that MRI screening is not always accurate in distinguishing between cancerous and non-cancerous breast lesions, a fact that leads to a number of unnecessary and invasive biopsies. However, a recent study conducted at Memorial Sloan-Kettering found that combining MRI screening with a scanning tool known as magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopy can help radiologists in diagnosing breast cancer by producing fewer false-positive results and reducing thenumber of avoidable biopsies’. that measures chemical substances known as choline compounds, which are produced by cancerous breast tumors. MR spectroscopy helps radiologists to differentiate between benign and malignant tumors, while adding only an additional ten minutes to the screening time. This ability to differentiate between tumor types is especially important in pre-menopausalwomen, who sometimes develop benign non-mass lesions as a result of variations in their hormone levels. Dr Elizabeth Morris of Sloan-Kettering commented, “Breast MR spectroscopy is an exciting tool that may make breast cancer diagnosis much more specific, so that a woman does not have toundergo biopsy for a benign condition.”(Radiology, October 2007)

Womb Cancer - Tamoxifen shown to ‘cause’ cancer

We’ve covered it before, but now the International Journal of Gynecological Cancer has gone into it in detail. They have covered research by O. LAVIE, O. BARNETT-GRINESS, S.A. NAROD, G.RENNERT in a paper entitled ‘The risk of developing uterine sarcoma after tamoxifen use’. (International Journal of Gynecological Cancer (OnlineEarly Articles): doi:10.1111/j.15251438.2007.01025.).The researchers studied the history of Breast cancer patients, and followed whether they had used Tamoxifen or not. They then compared the 875 women who had used Tamoxifen with those who had not.

In conclusion they stated, ‘There were 17 uterine cancers observed among the 875 exposed to tamoxifen (1.9%), compared to 4 uterine cancers among the 621 women (0.6%) who did not use tamoxifen. There were four uterine sarcomas among the tamoxifen users, but none among nonusers. Five of the 875 tamoxifen users died of uterine cancer, compared to no deaths among nonusers. We conclude that in this national breast cancer cohort, tamoxifen use was associated with elevated risks of uterine cancer incidence and mortality. Uterine sarcomas appear to be overrepresented among women who use tamoxifen.’

Abortion and Breast cancer risk.

A report in an American Medical Journal has caused concerns by covering a study which predicts that breast cancer levels in the UK will rise from almost 40,000 per year currently to 65,000 by 2025 and points the finger at abortions. The figures are based on a study which claims abortion increasesrisk by 30 per cent.

As regular readers will know we have looked into this and there are a number of research studies, which completely rule out any increased risk of breast cancer following abortions. Cancer Research UK agrees with us. Dr Lesley Walker recently stated that women should not be worried aboutthis; a number of large independent studies – including a recent re-analysis of data from 53 studies – has found no evidence of a link.

Ovarian cancer – symptoms not so silent

According to Dr Judith Wolf, associate professor in the Gynecologic Oncology Center at M. D. Anderson, the so called silent killer is not so silent if you pay attention to your body. It’s truesymptoms can be tricky, but the issue is to notice changes and new symptoms.

New US guidelines on symptoms include:

Bloating

Pain in the:-Pelvic area-Abdomen-Lower back

Trouble eating or a feeling of getting full quickly

Urinary symptoms (increased urgency, frequency)

Fatigue

Nausea

Pain during intercourse

Constipation

Unusual menstrual changes

Bleeding after menopause

“The symptoms are non specific, and most women experience a lot of them as their hormones fluctuate," Wolf says. "Women are used to experiencing unusual symptoms and just chalkingthem up to hormonal changes." But these symptoms may indicate ovarian cancer if they are new symptoms; last more than a few weeks; and/or occur more than 12 times a month.

Ovarian Cancer – Chlamydia poses risk for both sexes

Chlamydia, the sexually transmitted disease that affects one in ten sexually active British Adults, has been shown to be capable of making men, not just women, infertile, according to scientists in Mexico and Spain. Chlamydia cases have increased by over 200 per cent in the last 10 years.

Antibiotics can help the condition. There is also some increased risk in cases of ovarian cancer from the bacteria.

This latest research comes at a time when the Government is scaling back screening due to lack of funds. Doctors argue more screening should take place and it should include males.

Cervical Cancer - Boys targeted in HPV business plan

Not content with trying to persuade the British Government that all young girls should be vaccinated against HPV, fans of the new Merck and Glaxo vaccines (which cost around 300 pounds per jab)have found a new leading voice in Dr Anne Szarewaki of Queen Mary’s and Cancer Research UK, who wants all boys vaccinated too.

As we commented in the last issue, Merck have now actually stopped lobbying for the same blanketvaccination programme on girls in the USA. There were simply too many objections on a variety of grounds. However, the UK Government is in the process of agreeing to vaccinations for every 12-13 year old girl as a norm.

Whilst we can understand the logic of trying to ‘treat’ boys who can be ‘silent’ carriers of HIV we observe the following:

Not all cervical cancer is caused by HPV .

The vaccines are only effective against certain strains thought to cause about 70 per cent of HPV based cervical cancer

As Jackie Fletcher of JABS, the anti-vaccination campaign, points out there have been concerns expressed already on the inadequacy of the safety trials to date. And the vaccineshave been tested with adult women. Who knows accurately about effectiveness, or safety in young girls and boys? We have already reported cases of hospitalisation in young girlsin the USA and Australia, post vaccintion .

The vaccination is not a one-off and may well need repeating every 5 years

Cervical cancer now kills around 1,000 women per year in the UK. At least one in ten under-aged girls is infected with HPV, and this rises to 40 per cent by age 24. Boys carry the virus but oftenwithout obvious signs (although genital warts are caused by an HPV strain).

Jackie Fletcher argues that it would make more sense to offer the smear test to girls at a younger age. Again the Government would have a financial problem. But we have previously reported the greater accuracy and reduced cost of the ‘vinegar and light’ method adopted in other countries, which is constantly ignored in the UK.

Harpal Kumar, Cancer Research UK’s chief executive, confirms this view: “The cervical screening programme is very effective. For women between 25 and 49, three yearly screening prevents 84cervical cancers out of every 100 that would develop without screening. He further added, “The vaccine approval is an exciting step towards preventing cervical cancer in the UK. However,while the vaccine has the potential to prevent many cases of the disease, the impact of a vaccination programme won’t be felt for many years”

In icon, we have also reported on the benefits of elagic acid, which in four separate US research studies showed inhibition of HPV and cervical cancer. The tests involved feeding women halfa cup of raspberries each day!

If every girl were vaccinated just once at age 12 this would make the vaccines into a 100 million pound business in the UK alone. But if boys were vaccinated and the vaccinations on both sexeswere repeated every 5 years the business could easily be worth 2 billion pounds to the two drug makers.

Throat cancer: tobacco and HPV

The M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Texas has shown a link between throat cancer, oral sex and the sexually transmitted Human Papillomavirus (HPV). This finding has prompted these researchers to join the clamour for vaccination of boys. However only ‘if ongoing studies deem it safe andeffective in preventing viral infection’, according to a review article published in the Oct. 1 issue of the journal Cancer.

M. D. Anderson’s Erich Sturgis, M.D., an associate professor in the Department of Head and Neck Surgery, and Paul Cinciripini, Ph.D., a professor in the Department of Behavioral Science, wrote the review. "We encourage the rapid study of the efficacy and safety of these vaccines in males and, ifsuccessful, the recommendation of vaccination in young adult and adolescent males,"

Their review shows that a decline in smoking over the last 20 years (due to increased efforts to raise public awareness about the effects of tobacco use) has led to a decline in most head and neck cancers, except throat cancer. Also known as cancer of the oropharynx, throat cancer includescancers of the tonsils, base of the tongue and soft palate, and side and back of the throat. They attribute the steady throat cancer statistics to the HPV virus (specifically HPV-16), whichcan be transmitted through oral sex. HPV-16 also causes cervical cancer, but researchers state that cervical cancer has been in decline in the United States (probably because of cervical screening,which results in the successful treatment of pre-malignant cervical lesions).

Colorectal cancers increased in coronary disease patients

JAMA 2007, 298; 1412-19 features a report from Hong Kong based on 414 patients who had previously undergone coronary angiography for suspected coronary artery disease (CAD). Thosewith CAD had a 34 per cent prevalence of colorectal adenomas compared with 19 per cent for the non-CAD group.

Environmental factors triggering inflammation were felt to be behind both diseases.

Brain Tumours - Virus kills Brain Tumour Cells

M.D. Anderson scientists have tailored a virus to target and destroy brain tumour stem cells according to a report in the Sept. 18 edition of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Since2004, doctors have known that brain tumours are driven by defective stem cells that duplicate, causing the tumour to grow.

"We have shown, first in lab experiments using cell tissue, and then in stem cell-derived human brain cancer in mice, that we have a tool that can target and eliminate the cells that drive brain tumours," says co-senior author Juan Fueyo, M.D., an associate professor in M. D. Anderson’s Department of Neuro-Oncology.

The scientists developed a virus called Delta-24-RGD, which spreads throughout the tumours and destroys cancer cells without affecting healthy cells.

Next step – clinical trials in humans.

Brain Tumour Vaccine begins Phase II trial

Biotechnology company Antigenics has reported that the brain tumour research center at the University of California, San Francisco, has initiated a Phase II trial for cancer vaccine Oncophage inthe treatment of recurrent glioma.

30 patients with high-grade gliomas will be involved and will undergo surgery to remove their tumours, which are then used to manufacture their patient-specific ‘oncophage’ vaccines. Eligible patients will be treated after surgery with oncophage once weekly for four weeks, followed by bi-weekly injections until vaccine depletion.

Andrew Parsa, assistant professor in the department of neurological surgery at the University of California, San Francisco, and principal investigator of the trial, said: "We are highly encouraged by the preliminary Phase I results in which we observed prolonged overall survival when compared withhistorical controls, as well as a tumour-specific immune response in all treated patients. Commencement of this Phase II trial with Oncophage (vitespen) is an important milestone in theadvancement of this novel therapy.”

Don’t say we didn’t warn you! Researchers from Sweden – Dr Lennart Hardell of the University Hospital in Orebro, and Professor Kjell Mild of Umea University – have analysed 11 major studies carried out around the world and concluded that there is clear evidence ‘that those who have usedtheir phones for at least a decade are 20 per cent more likely to develop neuromas, and 30 per cent more likely to develop malignant gliomas’. (Neuromas are not themselves malignant but can be a fair sign of trouble to come.) The results were published in the journal ‘Occupational Environmental Medicine’.

The risks were more pronounced where the phone is normally used on one side of the head, in which case a doubling of the incidence of gliomas was reported. There are several major studies looking into the effects of long-term usage at the moment. Readers wanting more and objective information should read ‘Mobile phones – it’s your call’ .

Blood cell donations could be used to treat transplant patients with a particular form of cancer, according to a Cancer Research UK study reported in the journal Blood.

A team of researchers at the University of Edinburgh generated killer T-cells from healthy Scottish blood donors and injected them into patients with a type of blood cell cancer called PTLD. Thisform of cancer is caused by a virus in transplant patients whose immune systems have been suppressed to stop their new organ from being rejected and affects up to around 10 per cent oftransplant patients.

Around two thirds of patients responded to the treatment. If further trials are successful, a single bank of T-cells could potentially serve as a global source of immune cells to treat the condition.

PTLD is caused by the Epstein-Barr virus, a viral infection that over 90 per cent of adults carry. Normally the virus causes no ill effects but it can reactivate in transplant patients and cause PTLD.

Because children are less likely to have been previously exposed to the virus, they are more prone to develop PTLD when they meet the virus for the first time after transplant.

Lead researcher Dr Tanzina Haque, now at the Royal Free and University College Medical School, London, said: “EBV infection after transplantation carries a high risk of PTLD. Our results areencouraging and show that T-cell therapy could present a safe alternative treatment for the disease.”

PhotoDynamic Therapy – Thought to be able to activate immune system too.

Although we featured this benefit of PDT in our report on this exciting and potentially non-invasive therapy more than a year ago, a new report in the British Journal of Cancer claims the new discovery: that PDT can do more than treat the cancer it is directly attacking. In early studies using animal models, Roswell Park Researchers in the USA found that treatment with PDT stimulated the immune system to move out and attack cancer cells elsewhere in the body.

To recap, PDT uses an agent which attaches to the cancer cells. Then by shining light of a certain frequency onto the agent it produces free radical oxygen and kills the cancer cell.Hitherto, many of the agents developed in the USA have essentially been ‘drugs’ and can kill healthy cells as well. A new breed of natural, algae based agents developed by the Russians has been seen to be far more targeted on cancer cells and to stimulate the immune systemthroughout the body. Readers may care to read our report on our web site.

Meanwhile the Roswell Park ‘drug’ seems to have many of these immune system developing benefits too. Dr Sandra Gollnick, senior author of the research, explains:“Solely treating the tumours in the shoulder worked as normal for PDT. But it also sparked off an immune response that reduced the number of tumours in the lungs as well. We made sure this wasn’t due to activated drug reaching the lung tumours, and we were able to identify the precise part of the immune system being activated.

“It’s the first time this effect has been seen and explained in such detail, although other scientists have predicted that PDT could trigger an immune response.”

PDT is almost one hundred years old,but with new laser delivery methods and new agents it is at last coming into its own.

LATEST NUTRITION AND LIFESTYLE

Largest ever study shows ‘food’ and ‘exercise’ do fight cancer

A new report, Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity and the Prevention of Cancer, isquite clear: Food and Exercise play a significant role in the fight against cancer.

The World Cancer Research Fund (not to be confused with Cancer Research) reviewed more than 7,000 studies for the report. The overall results show that cancer risk can be cut by up to 40 per cent.

Organic Food really is Better for you. Case proven.

The arguments must now be over. The research is conclusive. The 12 million London,pound research study from the European Union, (QualityLowInputFood, or QLIF), the biggest of its kind ever, say it loud and clear: “Organically produced crops and dairy milk ‘beneficial compounds’ - like vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants”.

Specifically researchers have shown that there can be 40 per cent more benefit in crops and 90 per cent in dairy. All manner of beneficial compounds were at higher levels – for example vitamin C, omega 3, iron, copper and zinc levels to name but five.

One of CANCERactive’s patrons, Professor Carlo Leifert, is in charge of the project. “We are now trying to identify the best agricultural practices that achieve the best results”, he says.

In a previous and much smaller study a few months ago – and covered in icon – we quoted the Chairman of the British Soil Association who said pointedly at the time, ‘It’s always reassuring when science finally catches up with common sense”.

There have been an increasing number of studies in recent years that say ‘organic is better’, but the FSA has refused to acknowledge that organic food was better, and in so doing, has left the UK Government arguing in the same vein against organic foods. This must now surely change.

Further, more detailed results will be produced over the next 12 months.

Think Purple to beat cancer

Researchers in Ohio State University, led by Dr Monica Giusti, have shown that eating purple, blue and red fruits and vegetables – like plums, blueberries, chokeberries, beetroot – slowed the rate of growth of colon cancer and actually killed up to 20 per cent of the cancer cells.

(Ed: We have been telling you about anthocyanins, the colour compound for more than 5 years now. The sad thing is that,rather than tell people to get on and eat those fruits and vegetables, the researchers are looking to refine the pigments into drugs. If refining such National Institute of Environmental factors into vitamin pills is deemed so limiting by orthodox medical practitioners, why wouldn’t the same be true of turning them into drugs? Keep it simple: Eat the fruit andvegetables!)

Sunshine – new report says it keeps you younger

Researchers from King’s College, London, led by Dr Brent Richards have concluded that: “People who have higher levels of vitamin D may age more slowly than people with lower levels”.Despite concern that UV rays can actually damage the skin and cause premature aging under the surface the sun’s benefits seem to be producing a long and healthy life.

King’s College specialises in the study of twins – researchers have found that the bodies of women with high levels of vitamin D are biologically younger – and the main source of the vitamin came from exposure to sunshine. The team studied 2,160 women aged between 18 and 79 by looking at partof their DNA known as telomeres, which are biological markers stuck on to the end of certain strands of DNA. As people get older, these telomeres shrink. But scientists have realised thatthe rate at which they reduce depends on the lifestyle of the person involved. The shorter the telomeres get, the higher the risk that the person will suffer cell damage and disease.

The latest study found women with higher levels of vitamin D had longer telomeres suggesting that exposure to sunshine can not only keep telomeres long, which protects against disease, but alsomeans the body is biologically younger.

Breast Cancer - More evidence that your Mental State can give you cancer

In the October/November 2007 edition of Epidemology a study of 36,000 Swedish women showed that stress at work can increase your risk of breast cancer.

Studying the women (all between the ages of 30 and 50 at the start of the 14 year period ending in 2004) researchers ruled out the effects of alcohol, weight, number of children and so on.

The researchers reported that those women with full time stressful jobs had a 30 per cent increased risk of breast cancer. Dr Hannah Kuper of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine who was one of the leaders of the team felt that the stress might result in higher oestradiol levels or simply weaken the immune system.

The results prompted Cancer Research to state that they had never found a link between stress or any ‘adverse life experiences’ and cancer, in any of their studies.

Ovarian and womb cancer: Women who eat crisps or chips every day may double their risk

Dutch scientists reported on the eating habits of 120,000 people found that women who ate crisps and chips regularly appeared more at risk of cancer. The rogue element is acrylamide, a chemical produced when you fry, grill, bake or roast foods to a high temperature. We have reported onthis chemical several times before in icon.

About 5 years ago Swedish studies caused a panic with fingers pointed at all manner of foods from crisps to biscuits. A European team of scientists was briefed to make recommendations – the problem is that acrylamide is produced by most cooking methods if high temperatures are involved. The EU safe level is zero, so dangerous is the chemical .

Now the University of Maastricht study, published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention, finds a link between acrylamides in the diet and cancer risk.

An EU spokesman said: "General advice, resulting from this project, is to avoid overcooking when baking, frying or toasting carbohydrate-rich foods”.

Disturbed sleep may well cause cancer

The International Agency for Research on Cancer, the foremost international body on the disease, is considering officially labelling night-shift work as a "probable" human carcinogen, (Ed: Seriously - this is not April 1st) after a study found that nurses and flight attendants are more likely to develop breast cancer.

The study is the latest to make the link between exposure to light at night and cancer. Cancer has been shown to be 60 per cent more common among nightshift workers and there is even a similarrise among women who stay up late more than two or three times a week. Conversely, totally blind women are only half as likely to contract cancer. icon has previously covered research from the National Cancer Institute and National Institute of Environmental Health in the United States wherehuman breast cancer tumours were grafted on to rats. In the early hours of the morning, the rats were then given blood which had either been previously taken from women during normal darkened-room, full sleep, or from women sleeping in artificial light conditions. The blood taken in darkness slowed the growth of the tumours by 80 per cent, whilst that taken after exposure to light accelerated it. Studies have shown that the light at night interferes with melatonin, "the hormone of darkness" which is secreted by the pineal gland about 1 hour after falling asleep in a darkened room at night. Melatonin is known to restrict cancers and also boost the immune system. Electromagnetic radiation,given off by power lines, mobile phones and WiFi, has been found to have a similar negative effect on melatonin levels in the blood stream.

Professor Denis Henshaw of Bristol University said that the radiation "suppresses melatonin in the same way as light does". Next, The Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution is to look into the impact of artificial light on health as part of a study of itseffects on the environment. And finally, the EU will finish its own major study on EMF’s and in particular the effects in the workplace in February of 2008 (Coordinated by Minna Wilkki)(Ed: You can read all about melatonin and cancer click here and even buy Asphalia – a plant equivalent on our shopping trolley.)

Cancer risk with Dairy Again

icon has covered research before on links to ovarian, breast and prostate cancers. Now research from New York, where 5,000 people were followed for 65 years suggests that those children who grew up in families with the highest Dairy consumption (nearly two cups per day each) had close to three times the risk of colorectal cancer later in life. The study led by Dr Jolieke vander Pols of Queensland, looked at children from England and Scotland.

Spicy foods may kill cancers

Nottingham University Scientists have found that an ingredient of spicy peppers (Capsaicin) can cause cancer cell death by attacking the power stations (or mitochondria).

Their research used in vitro lung cancer cells. Lead researcher Dr Timothy Bates said: "As these compounds attack the very heart of the tumour cells, we believe that we have in effect discovered a fundamental ’Achilles heel’ for all cancers. The ingredient attacks a unique enzyme in a cancer cell’s energy producing mechanism, a system which is very different to that of a healthy cell. Indeed, the capsaicin does not attack a healthy cell.

The fact that capsaicin and other vanilloids are already commonly found in the diet proves they are safe to eat. The researchers feel that this could make development of a drug containing them a much quicker and cheaper process.

Dr Bates added: "Capsaicin, for example, is already found in treatments for muscle strain and psoriasis - which raises the question of whether an adapted topical treatment could be used to treat certain types of skin cancer”

However, a spokesperson for Cancer Research UK stated that the development was in a very early stage and that one could not jump from in vitro tests to conclusions about human reactions.

Skin Cancer – rub in broccoli sprouts

Seriously, according to research in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences October 30, 2007, vol. 104, no. 44, 17500-17505, broccoli, and the sprouting seeds in particular, contain achemical called sulphoraphane, which activates cancer-fighting enzymes inside your skin cells. The researchers used broccoli seed extract to reduce skin cancer risk, burning and redness from UV exposure. They are now looking at the effects on other cancer tissues.

Colon Cancer – risk decreased by Aspirin

If you wonder where all the cancer research money goes – here’s another example. 25 years after John Vane won his knighthood for showing that aspirin could reduce localised inflammatory hormones, prompting a plethora of studies with aspirin, scientists are still reinventing the wheel.

A study by Professor Peter Rothwell in Oxford University’s Dept of Clinical Neurology has shown that taking 300 mgs of aspirin a day reduces colon cancer risk by 37 per cent overall and 74per cent during the period 10-15 years after treatment started. Alternatively you could already know this because you read icon. (Oxford Today)

Acupuncture not effective inpreventing radiotherapy induced nausea

According to researchers led by Ann Enblom at Linkoping, Sweden, patients who had two to three sessions of acupuncture each week to reduce nausea during radiotherapy, had no less nausea than the group using a placebo.

Scientists find fact in Metabolic typing.

Following two studies by British and Swedish scientists (Physorg.com Oct 12, 2007 and Journal of Proteome Research 02-11-07) where chocoholics were studied against the norm, scientists believe genetic factors caused the eating desire. Metabolic typing seeks to analyse your biochemical type and provide the best foods for your health.

Should there be legislation against Salt?

Well, in the USA it could well be coming soon. Dr Mercola reports that the advocacy group, Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), has filed a petition with the U.S. Food and DrugAdministration (FDA). The petition alleges that because of its negative health impacts, salt should no longer be considered safe, and its safe status should be revoked.

The FDA has scheduled a hearing in response, where they will discuss revising their salt regulations.Eating too much sodium has been linked to high blood pressure and heart disease. More than three-quarters of the salt in the average American diet comes from processed foods. CSPI has petitioned the FDA about its salt regulations previously, asking for limits for sodium in processed foods, and suggesting adding warning labels on packages of salt that weighed more than half an ounce.(Ed: We do keep telling you this!!! Sodium also disrupts the cell’s mitochondria – the power stations. Too much sodium reduces energy production and oxygen intake, setting up an acid cellular system which is dangerous, and a cancer risk. Our advice is maximum 1 gm per day)

CHEMICAL WORLD

Coffee ‘triples paracetamol risks’

Or is it vice versa? Scientists from the University of Washington, reporting in the Journal Chemical Research in Toxicology, have concluded that mixing caffeine and paracetamol can cause liver damage. The studies all involved rats and bacteria rather than humans but were dubbed ‘highly indicative’ by researchers. Previous research studies have shown that even small excesses ofparacetamol can cause liver damage by producing a toxin. In the presence of caffeine this toxin almost tripled.

Previous research had shown that heavy alcohol intake could have the same magnifying effect with paracetamol and liver damage. Dr Sidney Nelson, who led the study, did admit that dosages were far higher than would normally be the case in humans.

Dozens hurt in Israel Druze village clashes over phone mast

Dozens of police and protestors were injured in clashes in a Druze village of northern Israel where demonstrators charge a mobile phone mast has caused an outbreak of cancer. Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said 30 people were hurt in the unrest when police went to Pekiin to make arrestsover the uprooting two days ago of a mobile phone transmission antenna outside the village.

Local leaders said police came to the town after residents destroyed a cellular phone tower they believed was causing cancer. "There have been a lot of complaints about cancer cases here and youths destroyed a mobile phone mast... Clashes broke out this morning when police arrived," Mohammed Khir, head of the Druze community, told public radio.

Taiwan dismantling 1500 phone masts

In a slightly more peaceful frame, Taiwanese legislators have decreed that ”residential neighbourhoods and schools must not be exposed to the risk of radiation emitted by the MobilePhone Base Stations that could cause cancer, miscarriages and diseases of the nervous system, and could even drive people to suicide”. In all 1500 phone masts will be taken down.